5 Things: Don't Worry About the Details

Tonight's game will be the first NFL game since the Super Bowl. The Jaguars will be playing the New England Patriots in a game with no real significance. I'm telling you now, the knee-jerk reaction from this game could be hard to cope with. If Blaine Gabbert plays well, then that's great, but don't worry too much if he doesn't play great. Just watch, listen, and enjoy.

1. Blaine Gabbert - Watch this guy. He'll be playing with the big boys now. I know he won't have a true "first team vs. first team" game here, but he'll have an opportunity to show what he can do. Look at how he moves in the pocket and how accurate his passes are. Also keep an eye on how much he scrambles.


2. The Trenches - Keep an eye on the linemen in this game. We all want to see how the Jaguars' offensive line handles the pass rush, and we want to know what kind of pass rush the Jaguars will generate. Watch individual matchups more than the sum, because; the sum isn't going to be indicative of how the lines may play once the regular season starts.


3. The Secondary - This unit was probably the biggest problem the Jaguars had in 2010. Gene Smith has put a lot of effort into getting it up to an acceptable level. This will be the first test it gets. Again, watch individuals more than the total product.


4. Wide Receivers - This is an unproven group of people. Jason Hill needs to begin to grow into the receiver many thought he could be. Cecil Shorts III will also have a chance to show his worth throughout the pre-season.


5. Sloppiness - This should be a sloppy game. Training camps and OTAs have been drastically limited this year, and bad play should be expected. Don't get up in arms over a few bad plays. We've still got a month till the regular season starts, but the good news is this. Football's back.